Evora 400 - Creaking drivers seat - how many waiting for fix ??

[DJW]

 

[JayEmm]

1 hour ago, Bibs said:

I'd have thought it's what's under the tape that is the fix.

What is under the tape is seat. I can't see anything else that has been added to them. I take this to mean it was the rear panels which were causing all the racket. Depending on how soon the replacement seats arrive I might even add a little bit more tape under there, maybe a bit of number plate tape, to pad them out and stop them moving. No movement = no noise

EDIT: Illustration

[Alfo86]

Also my driver seat is affected from cracking noise from the beginning... but the dealer told me that lotus didn't change seat in guarantee... it seems there are different services based on country... in Italy it's like that. 

So do you confirm that someone have changed both seat under guarantee? Or just received fix?

Are you sure that the noise coming from the back rear plastic cover?

 

Because in the video it seems coming from the lower side of the seat and not from the back cover. if it's here, for my experience with other car add neoprene in the border contact point with leather could be the solution.

How to remove the cover? Just pull it put?

 

Edited September 14, 2016 by Alfo86

[JayEmm]

Remove the back adjuster if you can, the backs just pull out

[Alfo86]

Jay

The back adjuster is the round mechanism to adjust the inclination of seat? Why I've to remove it? Remove the back cover remove rattles? Have you tried drive without it to understand that everything is silent ?

Thankksssss

[JayEmm]

My current noises are 100% caused by the plastic back covers moving and rubbing against the main cover.

[Alfo86]

When I go back home Saturday I will try to do that. I'll let you know ?

[Neal H]

Well, at least the fix seems a simple one!

[waofner]

sorry to say:

no simple solution in my case. disassembled my seat completely this weekend. put cotton-tape inbetween every single part.didn't remount the side-panels.

it is better now but the creeking noise is still there. in my case 100% not the backrest nor the backrest hinges- it comes from the seat rail- hight adjustable frame- plastic seat moulding...

[Alfo86]

Omg...? I continue to don't understand if there is a official service bulletin on that, if they changed seat under warranty or what. Anyone can help to clarify the situation atm? So we can explain at local dealer what lotus manage this things.

 

14 minutes ago, waofner said:

sorry to say:

no simple solution in my case. disassembled my seat completely this weekend. put cotton-tape inbetween every single part.didn't remount the side-panels.

it is better now but the creeking noise is still there. in my case 100% not the backrest nor the backrest hinges- it comes from the seat rail- hight adjustable frame- plastic seat moulding...

@waofnerIf you are so kind to post a guide about how to dismount/re-mount and fix will be fantastic!

[Bibs]

There was talk of a TSB but I'm unaware if it's been issued yet. You need to tell your dealer to call Hethel and ask for the fix, their number is 0044 1953 608000 in case they've forgotten it! 

[waofner]

1. seat all the way forward, remove the now accessible rear mounting bolts (2x 6mm hex)

2. move the seat all the way backwards, remove the front mounting bolts (2x 6mm hex)

3. lift the seat about 10cm on sill- or front- side to disconnect 2x seat heating plugs 1x safety belt signal

4. turn the big adjuster knob to fully bring the backrest to the front

5. protect your sill with a towel, with a light rotation inwards you can easily remove the seat.

Seat on the workbench!

the real tricky part: side panels shown in jayemm's post

1. pull off the big adjuster knob, will need force and plastic prying tools are a big help

the knob sits on an aluminium tube leading to the opposite side adjustable hinge

2. the yellow tree clips you see in jayemm's post should allow to pull/pry the side panels easily from the center part of

the back-rest. !!!!! in my case the tree clips were additionally secured with not access-able  metal clips  inside the center part.

=====> broke both side panels, they are fixable but it is annoying anyway..........

!!!!YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMOVE THE SIDE PANELS IF YOUR CREEKING SOUND COMES FROM THE MAIN SEAT MOUNT!!!!

TEST: BEFORE REMOVING THE SEAT: move the backrest to the front, grab the seat cushion on the rear side and try to move

sideways: if it creeks- it has nothing to do with the back-rest+hinges. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMOVE THE KNOB NOR THE

SIDE PANELS!!!!

Main mounting bracket:

1. put the seat on its back-rest

2. remove the 2 big headed hex bolts on left and right side

3. now you can easily rotate the front-sided part of the frame from the seat (about 5 to 10 cm) this is done to identify the 2 rear-sided bolts

Done!

The rest is very easy to see but hard to describe...

before remounting i tried to identify every possible contact area and put cotton tape on

So why the hell i can still hear it creeking....

prying tools

[waofner]

you will notice that the adapter frame between seat-rails and plastic molding is height- adjustable! 

[JayEmm]

Lotus have said in my case I will be getting 2x brand new seats. Unfortunately I was supposed to have them in July, then August, now all I know is "we don't have a timeframe"

Your mileage may vary

[Alfo86]

@JayEmmNext time I'll go to the dealer I'll ask for that. 

ThankS

[blindside]

On 9/15/2016 at 17:58, waofner said:

you will notice that the adapter frame between seat-rails and plastic molding is height- adjustable! 

@waofner For what its worth I think your assessment of the 'seat creak source' is exactly the same as in my car. Definitely the seat rail and sub frame area. Although the noise is irritating I have forced myself to leave it alone for now until Lotus come up with an approved fix....although I appreciate that might never happen. Taking the seats apart is obviously a time consuming and potentially unproductive ball ache. Presumably, it also gives Lotus grounds to invalidate that part of their warranty. I do sympathise with you though!

[Colin P]

Can anyone else feel any movement in the seat as well as the creaking. Not sure if it's my imagination or not.

[CocoPops]

Yup. The back rest moves side to side. C'est la vie!

 

[JayEmm]

24 minutes ago, Colin P said:

Can anyone else feel any movement in the seat as well as the creaking. Not sure if it's my imagination or not.

Yes, an unacceptable amount in my opinion.

Definition of unacceptable = considerably more movement than the seats fitted as standard to my Peugeot 207 van

The only car I've ever been in where the back moves enough to notice... it's weird too, like it's absolutely fine then "suddenly" shifts. I'm sure that's not how it happens, but that is what it feels like.

 

I had hoped this was fixed with the newer seats, until I found out that the seat backs are basically unchanged - bar some fabric that's integrated into them. My seats are therefore no different to "new" ones, other than being tidier.

[Alfo86]

agree.

the october 3th I've planned my pit stop in the dealer to fix it, with the official service bulletin coming direclty from lotus.

I'll keep you updated about it.

[JayEmm]

I hope it makes a difference, but I really doubt it will.

I am guessing here, but I wonder if the fact that the Sparco version of the seat is carbon fibre makes a difference - or whether the lack of airbags is not helping.

[DJW]

Happy to say my drivers seat no longer creaks 

Replacement runners and I assume associated sub frame were fitted today by Silverstone and not a creak the whole 55 mile journey home.   Cant tell you how nice it was !!

[Alfo86]

so is this basically the service bulletin scheduled from Lotus to all of us?

happy to hear that work fine

[DJW]

I complained about the creaking seat to my dealer just before starting this thread, so no idea how it will be rolled out. I still need passenger seat done.

[Alfo86]

good to hear that everything is solved.

I'll do the same next week, I'll let you know